WASHINGTON - September 27 - The FBI raided the homes of eight anti-war and international solidarity activists on Friday, September 24.   Doors were kicked in during the early morning raids in Minneapolis and Chicago and personal belongings including childrens' artwork, posters of Martin Luther King, Jr, were taken, as well as cell phones, computers and boxes of paper records. About a dozen activists from Illinois, Minnesota and Michigan have been subpoenaed to testify before a federal grand jury. The FBI emphasized that no arrests were made, but that evidence was being collected regarding the possible 'material support' of terrorism.

Sue Udry, executive director of the Defending Dissent Foundation noted: "The 'material support' statute is so broadly written that it can, and does, criminalize international peace-building activities whose only connection to terrorism is to reduce it".

Demos are planned in cities around the country to protest the FBI raids, see the most up-to-date list below.  This actions are locally organized, and many are being organized at the last minute -- as more are organized, they will be listed on the action page of our website.

Only one week ago, the Justice Department's own Inspector General released a report documenting political surveillance by the FBI. Also, last week the Des Moine Register revealed that FBI agents had infiltrated local peace groups, and even dug through the garbage at some activists' homes.  Friday's raids are the latest violations by a recidivist agency whose abuses have unfortunately recurred throughout its history.  

Ms Udry said, "Although we don't yet know the whole story behind the raids, we have grave concerns about the FBI's actions and want to send a clear message that we take seriously any attempt to harrass or punish activists for their Frist Amendment activities".

LIST OF PROTESTS:

Monday 9/27:

Minneapolis, MN - 4:30, FBI Office Monday, 111 Washington Ave. S.


Duluth MN, Monday 4:30 PM Duluth Federal Building

Chicago, IL - 4:30 FBI building, 2111 W. Roosevelt Road.


Boston, MA - 4-6 pm, JFK Federal Building


Kalamazoo, MI - 4:30 Federal Building, 410 W Michigan Ave


Salt Lake City, Utah - 9 AM at Federal Building


Durham, NC - 12 noon Federal Building, 323 E Chapel Hill St


Buffalo, NY- 4:30 pm at FBI Building - Corner of So. Elmwood Ave. & Niagara St.


Gainesville, FL 4:30 PM at FBI Building


Houston, TX, 5:00 PM, Mick Leland Federal Building, 1919 Smith St. at St. Joseph Parkway

Kansas City, MO: Monday at 6:00 at the J.C. Nichols fountain.

Tuesday 9/28:

NYC, NY - 4:30 to 6pm Federal Building, 26 Federal Plaza,


Newark, NJ - 5 to 6pm Federal Building Broad Street


Philadelphia, PA - 4:30pm Federal Building, 6th & Market,


Washington DC - 4:30 - 5:30 FBI Building, 935 Pennsylvania Ave NW.


Richmond, VA, , 4:30 PM, Federal Courthouse, 701 E. Broad St.,

Hartford CT, 4:30-6:30 pm, Federal Building

Columbus, Ohio, Tuesday 5:00 PM, Federal Building, 200 N. High St.

Cleveland OH - Tues 4 pm Federal Building E. 9th & Lakeside, March to FBI Building

Detroit, MI - 4:30 pm McNamara Federal Building, Michigan Ave. at Cass


Raleigh, NC - 9 am. Federal Building, 310 New Bern Ave


Asheville, NC - 5 pm Federal Building,


Atlanta, GA - Noon, Richard Russell Federal Bldg, 75 Spring St at MLK

Tucson, AZ - 5 pm Federal Building


Los Angeles, CA - 5 pm, Downtown Federal Building, 300 N Los Angeles St


San Francisco, CA, 5:00 pm, Federal Bldg., 7th St. and Mission,

Wednesday 9/29:

Albany, NY - 5 to 6 pm Federal Building

Friday, 10/1:

Dallas, TX, , 7:00 pm at the Grassy Knoll, near 400 block of Elm